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The first people who used the park oven, 1995

Dave Miller

Dave Miller was Nigel Dean's helper in building the first Dufferin Grove oven. He also had a diploma as a pastry chef, but he wasn't baking when we knew him. The first pizza day we ever did, Dave made the dough and helped the St.Mary's High School students to bake it. That day was pretty clumsy, with flour and toppings all over the place. But we had to start somewhere, and we got more graceful and better organized as time went on.

Kathryn

Quita Jane and Annick

Kathryn and her family moved to Havelock Street in Toronto, from a farm where Kathryn had a small bakery. Kathryn had already begun her career as a writer, but she still liked to bake and showed us how.
Quita had a wood-fired oven in Collingwood, and came down to give us some tips. Annick lived right beside the park and showed us her French baking style and gardening style.

Donna Bartolini

Lily Weston

Donna worked as a food consultant at Canadian Livingmagazine. She taught us our oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe, how to use a Hobart mixer, and hos to bake in winter.

Lily was the first new-style staff of the park, and she figured out how to set up the pizza days.

Jesse

Jesse was a long-time professional baker and cook, baking with us for a short time, between running restaurants of his own. He not only showed us the secrets of sourdough but also taught us where to get second-hand professional kitchen equipment.